Mystery surrounds bail refusal for two suspects

Two more people at the centre of Monday's police raids were refused bail at a closed session in Rotorua District Court yesterday, but they have no idea why.

Judge James Rota told counsel he would release his reasoning "as soon as practicable" to the accused, and it is anticipated the background to the decision will also be made public, possibly today.

One of those who appeared yesterday was a 28-year-old Whakatane man, up on charges of possessing a military style semi automatic weapon between October 11 and October 14.

The 18th person arrested this week, he was also accused of illegally possessing a Ruger rifle and 230 rounds of ammunition. His lawyer Annette Sykes said the denial of bail for all four people who had appeared in Rotorua this week, including Tame Iti, had been "very distressing".

Most of those bail hearings have lasted up to a marathon two hours, with Iti's spanning three separate afternoon sessions.

"I've got kids who are waiting up there in Mt Eden without knowing why [bail has been denied]," Ms Sykes said yesterday.

The other person in court was a 34-year-old Bay of Plenty man. He was accused of illegally possessing two rifles, a military style semi-automatic weapon, and a molotov cocktail.

Both men have name suppression, along with details surrounding their charges.

Media and the public were barred from the hearings but whanau were invited into court by the judge.

Ms Sykes said there was nothing unusual in the situation, despite karakia (prayer) and waiata being permitted by the judge to be performed by supporters this week.

"If he [the judge] departed from normal court procedure the Crown would have jumped up and down."

The logic behind family being invited in was to enable the judge to take in to account "all relevant information".

The first person to be refused bail in Rotorua this week was a 24-year-old Hamilton woman. She is in Mt Eden prison until her next appearance on 29 October.